CMNtv Workshop Offers Residents Chance to Learn Video Editing

Community Media Network (CMNtv), a nonprofit organization that offers public access television out of its station in Troy, is offering a starting today. The workshop is open to residents of the area cities and townships, including Royal Oak, that partially fund the company.

CMNtv has been offering workshops for years and is happy to note that many Royal Oak residents have taken advantage of their course. Other area cities that continue to fund CMNtv are Rochester, Auburn Hills, Troy, Oakland Township and Berkley.

“They receive money from the cable companies, Comcast and Wide Open West, and they, in turn, choose whether or not to take a portion of that funding and give it to us to provide the services that we offer,” Joe Johnson, outreach coordinator for CMNtv said.

He noted that because of budget constraints, five of the 11 cities they serve have opted not to fund the station. Residents in funding cities can take the workshop for $75. Upon completing the class, residents can check out video cameras and other filming equipment–and use the editing equipment for free–as long as they provide some sort of programming content for the station.

“It’s a steal on the consumer’s end for what you get,” Mark Angona of Royal Oak said. Angona completed the course last fall.

Residents in those five cities no longer funding CMNtv can still take the 10-week workshop, but for a cost of $375, and they will not have access to the editing equipment and video cameras afterward.

“It’s a great way to get your feet wet to see if it’s something that you like or feel you can be successful at; for some people it’s turned into a career,” said CMNtv executive director H. Jay Wiencko Jr.

Equipment that can be checked out includes microphones, video cameras, lights and more. During the week, equipment can be checked out for a 48-hour period, and on weekends there is a little extra leeway.

Residents who have completed the workshop can also reserve studio time in four-hour blocks. Johnson advised making reservations ahead of time for both.

The number of people who register for the program varies and the commitment is merely two hours per week. Currently, the program can be taken by anyone 15 and older and offers three different time slots: 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 1-3 p.m. Thursdays.

The workshop involves a couple of weeks of camera training and practice in the field interviewing people and composing shots on video. A couple of weeks will also be dedicated to editing and using the control room, among other learning techniques.

“I thought it was absolutely wonderful, a very thorough course and I was impressed with the top-notch facility,” Angona said. “I was also impressed with the patience they have for people learning at different levels.”

People who take the course produce many of the programs that are aired on CMNtv’s Channel 18. The range of content aired varies from covering public meetings to cooking shows, talk shows, community events, music coverage, political events and more. It functions as an outlet for residents to impact the community by doing something they are passionate about.

“I think people really like the idea of sharing their ideas and their creativity and the fact that they can accomplish something and show it off,” Wiencko said. “It’s also fun because with the workshop, they meet people with similar interests and exchange ideas; it becomes kind of a public forum at times.”

This was one aspect in particular that Royal Oak resident Patty Brown thoroughly enjoyed. Initially Brown took the workshop four years ago because her son was showing an interest in creating videos and uploading them to YouTube. Her son soon lost interest in the craft, but taking the workshop was not a loss for Brown, who upon completion of the program found herself with a new favorite hobby.

For a stay-at-home mom like Brown, having a creative outlet to keep her busy is appreciated. After the course ended she volunteered to help fellow classmates with projects and more recently started branching off on her own to produce content for CMNtv.

“It’s a great place to go and socialize with others interested in the field,” Brown said. “I just always want to get better, too, and every time I go I’m still learning." The network does not work to stifle creativity, but it does not permit producers to contribute commercial content. Johnson explained that the goal is to educate in some way, not push viewers to purchase a particular product or service.

To register for the program or for more information, visit CMNtv’s website at cmntv.org or call 248-589-7778. Orientation is tonight at 7 p.m. and the workshop officially starts the week following.